Komodo Dragon vs Mexican cedar

Varanus komodoensis compared with Cedrela odorata

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Komodo Dragon	Mexican cedar
Kingdom	Animalia (Animals)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)
Class	Reptilia (Reptiles)	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)
Order	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)	Sapindales (Sapindales)
Family	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)	Meliaceae
Genus	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)	Cedrela
Species	Varanus komodoensis	Cedrela odorata

Conservation Status

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Mexican cedar

EN — Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Komodo Dragon	Mexican cedar
Diet	Carnivore	—
Average Lifespan	30 years	—
Average Length	2.6 m	—
Average Weight	70.0 kg	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Komodo Dragon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Mexican cedar

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 9 distinct biome types. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Africa (18 countries), Asia (Taiwan), North America (6 countries), Oceania and the Pacific (6 countries), and South America (Brazil, Colombia). Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.